The Miami Hurricanes threw everything they could at the Purdue Boilermakers, but it wasn’t enough.
On Sunday afternoon at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, No. 2 seed Purdue pulled away in the second half behind Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn to defeat No. 7 seed Miami 79-69, ending the Hurricanes’ season.
Miami led 40-38 at halftime and appeared poised to pull off the upset. But Purdue (29-8) surged after the break, outscoring the Hurricanes 41-29 behind 45 combined points from Kaufman-Renn and Loyer. The Boilermakers shot 8-for-14 from 3-point range and 21-of-22 from the free-throw line.
With less than a minute remaining, Miami (26-8) still had a chance.
Trailing by six, Tre Donaldson and Tru Washington missed back-to-back 3-point attempts that would have cut the deficit to one possession. Kaufman-Renn secured his ninth rebound on Washington’s miss, effectively sealing the game.
Despite the loss, first-year head coach Jai Lucas has Miami trending upward, with this season signaling the program’s return to national relevance.
“It was an absolute pleasure and a joy to coach this team,” Lucas said. “I thank them for believing in me, believing in a person who had never coached before, and everything they gave me this year. I’m forever in debt to them.”
Veteran transfers laid the foundation for Miami’s resurgence
Miami finished its 2024-25 campaign at 7-24 — one of the worst seasons in program history. Lucas, who took over on March 6, 2025 prioritized veteran leadership to reshape the culture.
Senior transfers Malik Reneau, Tre Donaldson and Ernest Udeh Jr. delivered exactly that, establishing a new standard in Lucas’ first season.
Reneau, an Indiana transfer, arrived in Coral Gables seeking a fresh start after an injury-plagued junior year. The Miami native made the most of it.
“I’m blessed that Coach gave me this opportunity to come back home and come to The U and finish my last year here,” Reneau said.
The senior forward earned First-Team All-ACC honors, averaging 19 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. His 662 points tied Don Curnutt for fifth-most in a single season in program history.
“This season has meant the world to me,” Reneau said. “Coach giving me the opportunity to not only be a pivotal player on my team and play 30-plus minutes, but also become a leader and be someone these guys look up to.”
Donaldson provided stability and a clutch factor at point guard, a presence Miami hasn’t seen since Isaiah Wong’s 2022-23 campaign.
After stops at Auburn and Michigan, the senior guard returned to his home state and earned second-team All-ACC honors while averaging 16.5 points and 5.8 assists.
“Coming to Miami, I had to build myself back up coming back off a tough year,” Donaldson said. “Coming into a coaching staff that was going to help me build myself back up and continue to help me get better. I enjoyed every moment of it.”
Udeh anchored the defense, impacting the game in ways that didn’t show up in the box score. The Kansas and TCU transfer earned a spot on the All-ACC defensive second team and played a key role in Miami’s interior presence.
The Hurricanes dominated the offensive glass in the NCAA Tournament, outrebounding Missouri and Purdue 30-11 combined on offensive boards. Udeh contributed 12 of those rebounds.
Together, the trio helped revive the program and establish a foundation for sustained success.
“We really have built a great foundation,” Lucas said.
Shelton Henderson has emerged as a centerpiece of Miami’s future.
While the veterans set the tone, freshman Shelton Henderson showed he could be the program’s next star.
The Bellaire, Texas, native stepped up in the NCAA Tournament, producing strong performances against Missouri and Purdue while consistently attacking the paint.
“He’s a stud,” Purdue head coach Matt Painter said after the game. “He could play for the football and the basketball team. He just runs through people.”
In his two tournament games, Henderson averaged 16.5 points and seven rebounds while shooting 61.5%. His postseason showing capped a strong freshman campaign in which he averaged 13.7 points and nearly five rebounds per game on 56% shooting.
“I learned a lot about myself,” Henderson said. “I had to grow up a little bit faster playing with these guys and I think it helped me in the end.”
Henderson is expected to take on a leading role next season as Miami builds on its momentum.
The Hurricanes are also expecting a return of key contributors such as Washington and Dante Allen, while adding five-star recruit Caleb Gaskins, who could make an immediate impact.
Lucas made it clear that this season is only the beginning.
“It’s my job to keep it going and keep it rolling,” Lucas said. “This time next year we’re talking about going to the Sweet 16, not just the season ending. That’s the goal, that’s the plan until you win the National Championship.”
